Domino, or dominoes, are small rectangular blocks made of rigid material, often wood, that are arranged side by side to form long lines. They are marked on one side with an arrangement of spots, called pips, similar to those used on a die. They can also be asymmetrically patterned or blank on either side.
When the first domino in a line is tipped over, it sends the rest of the chain into motion. This creates a fun and engaging game that can teach children number recognition, as well as math skills. Moreover, some domino games involve scoring to determine the winner. In addition to the asymmetrical pattern and pips, dominoes are distinguished by their size and shape. Larger sets are usually carved in wood or cast in metal, while smaller ones may be crafted from a claylike substance or even plastic.
Lily Hevesh has been fascinated with dominoes since she was a child and watched her grandparents play the game. Now at age 20, Hevesh is a professional domino artist and has more than 2 million subscribers on her YouTube channel. She has worked on projects involving 300,000 dominoes and helped to set a world record for the most dominoes in a circular formation. But while Hevesh’s mind-blowing domino setups look complicated, the science behind them is fairly simple.
The key is gravity, explains Stephen Morris, a physicist at the University of Toronto. When a domino is standing upright, it stores potential energy based on its position. But when the first domino falls, much of that potential energy converts to kinetic energy, or the energy of motion. That energy is transferred to the next domino, giving it the push it needs to fall, and so on.
Domino’s has also used the Domino Effect to drive growth. When the company started in 1967, founder Tom Monaghan placed his pizzerias near college campuses. This ensured that students, who were the main audience for Domino’s products, would be able to get their pizza quickly. In addition, this strategy enabled the Domino’s to build brand recognition early on.
In a business context, the Domino Effect is the idea that once a key player in an organization sets a positive example or establishes a trend, it will influence others. This can be a great way to motivate employees or to improve organizational performance. For instance, when Domino’s CEO Dominic A. Lee established the practice of making his bed every morning, it inspired his employees to do so as well. Ultimately, this led to the company achieving unprecedented levels of productivity.